IDP Waiver Suggestions and Start/Sits - Week 6

Oct 12, 2016

As we head into Week 6, we're coming off a week where we saw some players who put up big numbers, and some previously disappointing players who finally produced in Week 5. Some defenders are for real and some aren’t. I trust the players who have the track record for production, but the unexpected players who exploded last week might need a bit more examining. When looking at plays for the week and rankings, it reminds of a song from the 90s R&B group, TLC (Waterfalls), but here are a few lines to keep yourself grounded:

Don’t go chasin’ those boxscores
Gotta trust the research and the process you’re used to

Trust your process and research, and don’t just chase the scores from the previous week. Trust the defenders who have a the track record, as opposed to the one-week wonder who explodes and is then never heard from ever again (hello Milli Vanilli). As far as Lavonte David goes, I guess we can compare him to an elite offensive player who has struggled for a stretch. Are you going to bench DeAndre Hopkins after a few bad games? Especially when the next matchup is favorable after a rough stretch?

With that in mind, let’s get ready for Week 6. Here are my waiver suggestions and matchup plays as we roll through the season.

IDP Waiver Wire

In parenthesis (snaps appeared that week/percentage of total defensive snaps)

Defensive Line

Joey Bosa, DE, San Diego Chargers (27 snaps/38 percent)

Bosa made his season debut last week and looked liked he belonged in the league. His play definitely opened my eyes. Bosa was consistently disrupting the QB and helped bolster the San Diego defensive line. He finished with two sacks and five tackles (including two for a loss). He should be picked up in big-play formats.

Stacy McGee, DE, Oakland Raiders (23 snaps/44 percent)

McGee has been consistent with his pass rush this season, and even though he’s appearing in just over 45 percent of the defensive snaps, he’s been efficient with his snaps. McGee took advantage of the Chargers offensive line, producing two sacks and generating a 25-percent pressure rate, upping his total up to 10 percent. He has some favorable matchups coming up, including the Chiefs next week, who allow nearly two sacks per game to opposing DL.

Jurrell Casey, DE, Tennessee Titans (31 snaps/70 percent)

Through four weeks, Tennessee’s best defensive linemen had just a half sack. Even though he was producing pressure, he was just missing out on the takedowns. He didn’t miss in Week 5, however. Casey finished with two sacks, while producing a near 16-percent pressure rate. He’s increased his points per snap rate to 0.15, after producing 0.39 FFP/snap in Week 5. Several favorable matchups are on Casey’s horizon, so now’s the time to strike on the wire.

Tom Johnson, DT, Minnesota Vikings

If you’re looking for a streamer or additional depth in DT-required leagues, Johnson has been playing very well in Minnesota’s defense. He notched his second sack of the year and is generating a near 12-percent pressure rate (which is an elite rate at the interior), and is appearing in just over 57 percent of the snaps.